Remember when Polaroid brought Lady Gaga to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as the brand's new creative director? This upcoming CES, Polaroid will unveil branded retail stores that will enable “liberating” photos from the “confines of their digital devices.”

The grandfather of photography is opening 10 Polaroid Fotobars, experiential retail stores that promise to help consumers manage the photography deluge triggered by digital devices, so images can be printed and edited and the whole process assisted in-store by expert “Phototenders.”

“It’s painful to hear an old photography company that is attempting to revitalize itself call photo printing stores 'cool and hip,' but the premise actually sounds both cool and hip,” notes Venturebeat.

The first Fotobar will open in a 2,000 SF store in Delray Beach, Florida in February, with subsequent openings including New York, Las Vegas and Boston. The Delray Beach location includes “The Studio,” a multi-purpose room hosting photo classes, private parties and a space for portrait photos.Continue reading...

Fiat faces more and more problems in the struggling European car market, so it's got to make more progress than company executives initially had hoped in the U.S. market — and faster than they'd planned.

So Fiat is turning up the voltage. In tandem with other Chrysler-owned brands, it is offering what it calls Conquest Bonus Cash as an incentive to U.S. buyers who own Volkswagens to switch. They'll give $1,000, through January 2, to any VW owner who buys one of their cars except for a handful of excepted models.

This isn't a usual tactic — the last time Chrysler did it was 2010, targeting Toyota. "We believe the Dodge Dart, for example, would appeal to current Volkswagen owners," Ralph Kisiel, a Chrysler spokesman, told brandchannel. Customers don't even have to give up their VW to qualify.Continue reading...

Take that, Hamburglar and all your little mischief-making fiends: McDonald's may already be back in the U.S. just one month after poor sales brought about the departure of the head of its U.S. operations.

McDonald's surprised the restaurant world by announcing a 2.5-percent jump in comparable-store sales in the United States, after analysts had expected a U.S. drop in sales of as much as 1 percent for the month.

The chain attributed the unexpected rise to the "ongoing popularity" of its breakfast in the U.S. along with "balance across everyday value offerings, premium menu options including the limited-time Cheddar Bacon Onion sandwiches, and the beverage lineup," according to McDonald's press release. Holiday cheer, despite stepping up around Thanksgiving, didn't really move the needle on sales.Continue reading...

Pizza lovers rejoice! Domino’s, world leader in pizza delivery, is offering 50% off all pizzas ordered online at menu price through Dec. 9.

And today (Dec. 6th), 52 countries are celebrating the second Global Domino’s Day by offering the same deal via Domino’s Pizza Facebook pages around the world, where an app directs them to their local Facebook page. Last year, 19 countries took part in the brand’s first-ever global offer with more than 500,000 people taking part, and this year, more than 90% of Domino’s stores worldwide are participating.

“Domino’s is proud of our global presence, and we’re thrilled to spend this one day bringing Domino’s fans from around the world together with this special offer,” said Dennis Maloney, Domino’s Pizza VP of multimedia marketing.Continue reading...

It was leaked that it's coming this month, and now it's been confirmed: The McRib sandwich is returning to McDonald's American restaurants on Dec. 17 in a year-end boost for the chain and its new US head, Jeff Stratton. Let the line-ups begin and the McRib Locator get started.

Market research shows that e-tailing in India is growing faster than any other Asia Pacific market, which sets the stage for Citi's new campaign in the market: promoting web-based transactions and online shopping to consumers.

Citibank India will host its first ever 24-hour deep discount online promotion — billed as the OMG! Sale, short for Online Mega Sale — on Wednesday (Dec. 5), offering cardholders deals across categories from 17 e-tailers including indiatimes.com, ebay.in, snapdeal.com, indiaplaza.com, zoomin.com, yebhi.com, zovi.com, excluzen.com, highstreetlabels.com, goibibo.com, babyoye.com, firstcry.com, hoopos.com, indiangiftsportal.com, goodlife.com, pepperfry.com and myntra.com. 

The single-day online sale event offers discounts averaging around 30% and extending up to 60% on certain products and services.Continue reading...

Burger King is celebrating the 55th anniversary of its Whopper hamburger with a whopper of a deal:

"Hurry in to any participating BURGER KING® restaurant nationwide from December 6th through December 9th, to enjoy an Original WHOPPER® Sandwich for just 55 cents, when you purchase any WHOPPER® Sandwich, including the new Wisconsin White Cheddar WHOPPER® or the spicy ANGRY WHOPPER®, available for a limited-time-only."

Also new to the menu for the iconic sandwich's 55th, which is being sold with retro packaging? Seasoned sweet potato cury fries. The fast food brand, which is testing home delivery, is inviting fans to submit their own Whopper moments on Facebook, as you can see in its new TV campaign below:Continue reading...

McDonald's UK is promoting its limited-time Festive Menu with a holiday campaign featuring "the charming story of a postman — in many ways the modern Santa Claus — who braves the elements to deliver festive joy to the British public. After a tough day's work, he rewards himself for his efforts with a delicious Winter Warmer and some banter with his workmates." Watch it below:Continue reading...